Sword and Scales
by Whiteling
Summary: Re-edited & Revised version of 'Ariel's journey.' What if there was no Eric to save? No sea witch to face? How would Ariel become human and see the world above? This tell us her adventures before she finds true love in a human from days long past. A collection of oneshots including one well known AU. ANY questions are done through PM Plz. NO REQUESTS!
1. Ariel's journey begins

**Author's note: I know. Thought I'd give an old fic a touch up with editing and new bits – the new season 5 of Samurai Jack inspired me and some friends to do more of this crossover. Course I know how it went down but I'm writing this anyway for fun, so enjoy!**

There are other worlds and other universes. Many do not see that within they each follow a different path. Quite a few turns of events make each one different from the other.

Such is the case with this one Alternate universe… Far out at sea where the water is blue and clear as glass, deeper than any man made anchor chain could ever hope to reach, was the magnificent kingdom of Atlantica. Triton, the Sea King had been a widower for years and had seven lovely daughters from his deceased Queen Athena. The youngest named Ariel had the most beautiful voice of any upon the earth or sea.

Yet, the trouble with her was that, she was greatly fascinated with the world above the waves.

Ariel was curious about everything above the surface, especially the land creatures called humans. She knew the rule was designed to keep his subjects - including his daughters - from interacting with humans. Of course, the princess had never seen any humans up close before exactly, but she didn't understand how, if they could make all the wonderful things she had collected from the ocean floor then placed in her grotto, could be so bad.

Soon after a heated argument with her father, one in which ended with the sea king destroying most of the human artifacts with his trident, the young princess took a rash decision: she would become human herself and prove to her father - and everyone else - that humans weren't barbarians once and for all.

Unknown to the little mermaid, that as soon as she swam away from her ruined grotto, two of her sea-dwelling friends, followed close after her.

"Where do you think she's going?" questioned Flounder, a little roly-poly yellow fish with blue stripes.

"I don't know, mon," Sebastian the red crab, who was the royal court composer replied, "But wherever it is, we're gonna stick to her like barnacles stick to big whale bottoms!"

After all what kind of friends would they be if they didn't look out for her welfare?

It was already common knowledge that the sea witch had mysteriously disappeared years ago, so Ariel had to seek every possible option to accomplish her goal. Not many were reliable, which meant she'd need a solution _above_ the water. For almost two days and one night, she'd searched until her inquiries achieved results. She was told by many a land dweller to seek help from a hermit - one that resided in Bogus swamp. Recalling the instructions she'd received, Ariel pulled herself up on the large tree stump and blew the twisted horn and fell back into the water, with only her torso visible.

Within seconds, out of the water in front of her, an even larger tree stump emerged. At the near top was a small round door, which opened and out came the hermit. He was short, had green skin, fiery red eyebrows, a mane of white hair and was garbed all in black.

"Who dares to blow my door horn?" he snapped.

Ariel waved up to him from the water, "Hello up there! I've come to ask –"

"I've no time for vagrants little girl, what is your business here?"

"I wish to become human, I've been told you'd be able to help me."

The hermit studied the young woman looking up from the swamp water suspiciously. She was willowy, with a luxurious length of cascading hair as red as blood. Her eyes were large and blue, filled with apprehension and a hint of hope.

"What are you talking about -?" He was cut off when the 'girl' pulled herself to sitting position up on one of the stump's roots. Instead of legs, he saw a bright emerald fish tail.

"Hmm, human legs…" said the hermit thoughtfully, he then told her to wait outside.

Not long after, he climbed down and handed the little mermaid a corked red narwhal's horn containing a bubbling yellow concoction. He instructs that she swims to shore before dawn and drink the potion that will turn her human. Then warns her that consuming it will make her feel as if a sword is being passed through her body, yet when she recovers, she will have two human legs instead of a fin.

Ariel was just so happy that she flung her arms around the hermit's neck, thanking him. "Oh, thank you so much!"

The hermit looked greatly taken aback by the sudden hug, and distractedly glanced out of the corner of his eye. Then he abruptly pushed her back and scolded, "Well, what are you waiting for? You're wasting time, now get going!"

The mermaid hadn't been shocked by his harsh tone, but rather acknowledged that he was right, "Oh! Yes, I've got to swim. Thank you again, I owe you!"

And she disappeared into the depths.

"Oh yes, mermaid, you owe me…" he sneered lowly.

Had Ariel or her hidden companions glanced at the water, they would have seen truth revealed in the hermit's reflection...

* * *

Just a few good hours before sunrise, Ariel pulled herself up on the bank. Remembering the instructions, she carefully raised the phial to her mouth and drank the potion given to her by the swamp hermit. Once finishing it, she suddenly grabbed her throat gasping and gagging while her fin thrashed about.

Since her eyes were closed due to both the pain and the bitter taste, she didn't see the gradual transformation of her fish tail into human legs, by then she had fainted. Nor did she hear the raspy, growling voices approaching from all sides…

* * *

Hours later, the little mermaid stirred at the warm feeling of the sunlight upon her skin and the sandy shore beneath her. She slowly raised her head, pushing her bangs out of her face. And started when she saw her new pair of legs. Even more when she found herself wearing a white blouse with a black corset, blue skirt and black flats.

Ariel lifted one of her legs, removed the shoe and wiggled her new toes in child-like delight. What a feeling!

It was a bit shocking, but this was her big chance - now she could see humans up close, talk to them and learn about their world! Carefully, she tried to stand on her new legs like the way humans in pictures had done. Boy, did they feel shaky! She didn't know how humans could possibly-

 _Thump!_

She toppled over and landed on the sand with a giggle. Though she was far from deterred, she was determined to make her way into the world above.

Nearby on the rocks, Sebastian and Flounder had Scuttle join in on their mission to keep an eye on Ariel.

"What if she never comes back?" Flounder asked worriedly.

"Then… neither will we." Sebastian answered grimly.

Scuttle nods once, "And that's the truth."

Flounder gulped.

The three friends agreed to follow Ariel for her safety and their peace of mind. Unfortunately miles into their little quest, Flounder was unable to accompany the other two any further, seeing as there was no other body of water for him to trail after them.

"There's no way through! Go help Ariel, I'll be okay!"

"Just be careful!"

So it was only Sebastian and Scuttle who set off after the little mermaid.

* * *

Later in the afternoon, a now hungry Ariel wandered upon the main road, when she chanced to make a kindly farming family acquaintance in a rather unusual way.

She barely dodged the oncoming cart headed towards her and fell on the ground face first.

"My word!"

"God's wounds! Is she alright, father?"

The driver and his young sons rushed to her aid, thinking she'd been hit by their cart.

"She looks rather pale, how long was it since you've last eaten child?" asked the cart owner.

Ariel tried getting herself up, "Last night, at least."

It so happened that they were farmers who mistook the mermaid princess for a hazy shipwrecked traveler and offered her a place to stay and so the little mermaid stayed with the farmer Isaac and his family in the country village they were from.

Overall, her little trip to the surface world had started off much better than she'd expected. The family welcomed her into their home warmly as a foundling that needed friends. Naturally, she had to work – most of them just chores around the farm. Something she didn't really mind so long as she got to see more of their world.

Within the next few weeks, Ariel to learn a great deal, with the farmer's wife, Deborah's motherly skill, she learned to sew, weave and cook. Outdoors with Isaac, the farmhands and the little daughter Rachel, she learned to garden, tend to the crops and animals. All these practical skills would become useful to her in the future- though she did not know it just yet. And in turn at night, she would sometimes sing for them, enchanting the household with her melodious voice.

While it wasn't exactly perfect, there were a few problems such as the return of her fin should her new legs touch water. She carefully kept this a secret in the evenings when she 'bathed'. But it was peaceful, happy experience for the young mermaid. She'd even considered remaining on land and maybe accompanying the farmer's family when they went into town for the Annual county fair with the harvest she'd helped tend to; it would be a good chance to see more surface dwellers and fascinating events if nothing else.

But even the happiest of times can be darkened by an unseen tempest.

Now one day, Ariel had just been walking back from the orchard, carrying a basket full of fruit as requested by Deborah.

"I wonder what we'll be having for dinner tonight…" she thought.

Briefly, she kneeled down to straighten her blue leggings. The dresses she learned to piece together were alright, but for field work like this, she decided pants were much more practical.

In the meantime, both the undersea friends had managed to find Ariel nearly a week ago and were greatly relieved to see her safe for the moment. Scuttle was glad their princess was enjoying herself on the surface and already making friends with humans. Sebastian was another story entirely; he felt it best that Ariel return home, just because nothing bad had happened yet doesn't mean that it won't.

This particular afternoon while Scuttle watched Ariel pick fruits then start walking back to the village at a respectful distance. Behind him, Sebastian had drawn up a map on the ground, calculating how far they were from the ocean – mainly Atlantica's borders. Just then a shadow fell over him and the sketch. "Ey! Move out of the way, you're standing in the light!"

Scuttle shrugged in confusion. "That's not me, it's falling all over the place."

He was right, a mysterious shadow had crept over the entire landscape. The sky suddenly darkened and rumbled even though there were no warning signs of an approaching storm which made. What was causing it?

Then they heard the screams. Both crab and seagull froze, looked at each other and screamed in alarm: "Ariel!"

Full of distress for their princess, they rushed to the edge of the hill and what they saw send chills down their spines.

Ariel look up in confusion then felt goose bumps of fear once the sound of terrified people reached her ears.

When she got to the edge of the hill, an inexplicable ominous feeling spread rapidly in heart. But it was what she _saw_ that made her ocean blue eyes grow wide with horror.

For a terrible creature towered threateningly above the village!

It was hideously ugly. It had flaming red brows and goatee/beard. Its dark eyes narrowed with malevolence. The greenish mouth turned up into a wicked sneer, revealing sharp curved fangs.

A shower of arrows and spears rained upon the gargantuan creature. But it just grinned in malice, raised its arms high above its head and sucked the blades deep into its dark flesh with no trouble at all. Then, straightening its long arms in both directions, fired the weapons out of its' black palms and right back at the shooters.

Many of the townspeople jumped away to avoid the falling arrowheads, while others ran to avoid the burning beams from the demon's eyes. It wasn't long before the entire town was in flames with the creature cackling triumphantly over the spine-chilling destruction it caused.

By now, mortal fear flooded through the young mermaid.

In the ocean, confrontation was not a preferable option. And after seeing what this behemoth was capable of, she doubted she'd so much as stand a fighting chance against it. So Ariel did the only thing she could do: escape.

Quickly, she turned on her and fled into the forest as fast as her human legs could carry her. If she'd looked back, she'd have seen the monster glance her way and smirk knowingly.

Or her equally panicked sea friends frantically follow her into the woods.

"There she goes!" Scuttle pointed with his wing to the terrified mermaid running into the forest.

"Let's get out of here!" Sebastian screamed, jumping onto Scuttle's back.

"No need to tell me twice!" The seagull yelped as he flew a good distance into the woods after Ariel.

But she was too frightened to turn around much less stop.

Little did she know that this was just the beginning of her adventures in this strange new world above…

 ** _To be continued..._**


	2. Requiem for a lost kingdom

It was a calm day, nothing else seemed to be out of the ordinary.

Except on this particular summer day, Ariel was out venturing close to the surface again. Yet the past experiences both joyous and frightening had taught her not to go alone. Today, Flounder and Sebastian would be accompanying her as she explored a region just two miles from Atlantica.

It started out simple enough, searching for human objects – taking extra precautions that none of them were electric – and taking to Archimedes. She saw a few on the beach: a pocket watch, an embroidered handkerchief… mostly small things. Except there was one detail that made everything seem a little off: there hasn't been a recent storm for them to end up on the shore.

The friends followed the trail behind some rocks and saw what used to be seaside castle.

Ariel looked around. She saw a shipwreck rotting on the sand near the bay. It's now rotting hull was covered with seaweed and barnacles, and the mast looked like it'd been sliced in two. The flag and sails had odd tears as though something had cut rather than tore through them.

Most of the castle walls and foundation look as though it demolished by a seaquake or something. But it didn't explain how some parts of the towers or bridge ended up a few feet away. And there didn't seem to be any burn marks so it couldn't have been done by an explosion or by…eye beams.

Flounder and Sebastian stayed close to Ariel, not wanting to leave her alone.

"Something passed through and destroyed it." Flounder mumbled.

"Must have, because I've never seen a storm leave damage quite like this." Ariel agreed.

Sebastian scuttled a little on the debris critically, "Only I bet it wasn't caused by a human enemy nation or pirates."

Despite her nerves, Ariel slowly ventured into the bay to get a better look.

For a brief moment she was thankful to be a mermaid again, if only so she wouldn't see the bloodless slaughter of innocent humans.

As she swam a little closer, she bumped into something. Ariel jumped then calmed down at seeing it was just the remains of a painting. The painted portrait was lying there, staring blankly upward. Ariel gently picked it up. This must've been the prince of this fallen kingdom.

Scuttle joined them as the three stared uneasily at the ruins and rubble.

"Hey, whaddyou all doing around here?"

Ariel looked up at him, "Scuttle, what happened here?"

The seagull looked unsure. "Er well the thing is…"

"What if he tells and you won't be able to sleep tonight?" Sebastian interrupts. He and Flounder look worriedly at Ariel.

"I won't be able to sleep unless he does. Please Scuttle, who or what did this?"

"It wasn't Mr. flaming eyebrows if that's who you're thinking," Scuttle assured her then began to elaborate, "It was like this: 'Bout two years ago, I was taking a nap on the high spot right over there after I had lunch. That was the screaming started. I open my eyes, I see the humans running away and getting -" he sees the scared look on their faces, "You know what I mean! Any who, it because the rocks were moving by themselves, taking some kind of big shape – but it was because of some weirdo playing a snarfblatt. Only I never seen one do that before!"

A stranger with a snarfblatt did all this? Ariel wondered with a raised eyebrow. Could Scuttle have meant a pipe or some sort of wind instrument?

"Then what happened?" asked Flounder.

"Did the only thing I could do. Evasive maneuvers." Then he scowled indignantly at the memory, "Only as I was flying away, the fruitcake thought it be funny to use me and anything else that moved for target practice. So he starts jamming and just about everything sharp flies at me – look what it did to my shoulder!" He lifted some feathers from his left shoulder to show the scar, obviously something sharp must've briefly cut him there.

Flounder and Sebastian visibly winced at the sight.

"That's terrible!" Ariel gasped.

"Well I was lucky, I got away. Except I can't say the same for everyone else that used to live here…" Scuttle looked sadly around the decimation.

Ariel, Flounder and Sebastian looked just as somber. What kind of twisted fiend was responsible for the destruction of this once beautiful kingdom? Not even humans deserved such a fate.

It's too bad though. Ariel thought dejectedly as she looked over the Prince's portrait. If he'd lived, he would've made a fine King.

A small part of her wondered if he fought valiantly against the assailant before he perished… she wasn't going to leave this place as it is just yet. Grimly, she began to gather small rocks one by one.

"What are you doing?" Sebastian asked.

"I'm going to try and honor the dead." Ariel replied softly.

The crab was about to say something but closed his mouth and nodded in understanding. He, Flounder and Scuttle gave each other a solemn look then they started to help their friend in her forlorn task.

Before long they'd made several little makeshift grave markers out of the rocks, now they felt it best to leave.

"We did what we could for them, child." Sebastian consoled her.

"For what it's worth I know they'd have appreciated it." Scuttle offered gently, Flounder nodded.

Ariel nodded, then looked to the markers, "Goodbye humans, maybe someday you'll be avenged. May you all rest in peace."

That said, she and her friends departed.

Back on the seashore, the portrait of the fallen prince stood on one of the markers. The human depicted on it had fair skin, short black hair, and ice blue eyes. He wore a navy blue long sleeved royal uniform: it includes a black belt with a gold buckle at the midriff; gold buttons; red lining the collar, down the chest, and cuffs along with red epaulettes; a matching pair of dark blue trousers with red lining and black shoes. His crest was styled in ancient Gothic, the letter 'E'. Ironically the first letter of his name: Eric.

 **AN: A tragic one-shot on what really happened to Eric and his kingdom during the timeline of my fanfic Mermaid and the Samurai. Cookie for whoever correctly guesses who the wrongdoer responsible. I'll give you all a hint:** **it's the same big-mouthed jerk that blew the whistle on our two favorite heroes. Before you ask yes he did for both the evulz and in hopes** **of bolstering himself up Aku's ranks by retrieving the little mermaid.**


	3. Autumn anecdotes

**AN: Okay so sue me I wanted to brush this chapter off, edit and add a few things.**

Ariel continued running as fast as she could, terrified out of her wits even as leaves and branches hit her face. The sun had already set by the time she stopped behind a tree to catch her breath. Only then did the magnitude of the harrowing events sink in.

Oh, those poor humans. Just yesterday, they were laughing and singing together, and talking about how much fun the county fair would be. Now they were probably dead - _What horrible fate_!

She slumped against the tree, burying her face in her hands.

Well she can't just sit there in the open, who knows what else may be out there? Ariel looked around finding herself in the darker part of the woods. And it was spooky but she had to find shelter for the night.

Creepy eyes seemed to peer out at her from the trees, bushes and other shadowy areas, plus the forest looked like it was closing in behind her. Some bats flew past her head, startling her and she rushed by. She turned a little and almost bumped her face against a small garden snake, but it still made her nervous, so she fled.

She then saw a dense thicket up ahead, she crawled inside atop a small hill and settled herself down on it. With the large branches and leaves, at least it'll make decent shelter for the moment. Tomorrow she'll decide what to do next.

* * *

The next morning, Ariel turned on her side from her spot on the hill, it wasn't much but the soft ground was comforting. Particularly moving up and down gently.

Wait! _Moving?_

She bolted upright. Sure enough, the so-called hill was moving up and down, like something was breathing.

And as though it already felt the ex-mermaid stir, whatever she was lying on raised itself to look at Ariel making her gasp a little. It looked like some large blue teddy bear with round yellow eyes and three clovers on its head.

Was it dangerous?

Ariel stared at it, it stared back. It blinked twice like she did.

Carefully, she pushed back a lock of her hair. It mimicked her movements with its paw. Then it suddenly just licked her with its big tongue.

Ariel wiped her face, giving a nervous smile. Well, that answered her silent question.

* * *

In the meantime, an hour later, a seagull and a crab had woken up from their spot up a tree and were trying to get a bearing of their surroundings.

"Well, we better check up on Arielle."

Scuttle yawned, stretching his wings. "Yep, think she got a goodnight…"

They looked down to see that she was gone again.

Sebastian sighed, "Somebody's got to nail that girl's fin – I mean legs to da floor."

* * *

The creature had followed Ariel through the forest for while eating a few fruits and graciously demonstrating with its own sounds to the little mermaid which ones were safe and which were not.

Hours afterwards, it retreated to a large cave where it yawned and crawled before falling into a deep sleep. There was word for what it did and what it was preparing for – the farming family explained it to her once. What was it hirbernorma? No, it was hibernating.

Either way, Ariel was walking through the wood again. She had picked up a fallen basket and was continuing to wander around when she came upon something in the grove.

It was a very large spiderweb, trapped on it was a small Iris blue creature with flowing white hair and wings. And sliding in for the kill was a red spider as big as a tennis ball.

"Help me please!" cried the pixie.

The spider approached. Ariel got closer and meant to reach for the struggling fairy but it warned, "No lady! The spider's venom is deadly!"

Thinking fast, the ex-mermaid took the basket she had with her, lifted its lid then caught the spider inside. With that, she threw the basket as far away as she possibly could. She then turned to the fairy and gently pulled away the web, freeing her.

"There you go, safe and sound." Ariel said to her.

"I owe you my life, lady," said the fairy, "I know that I'm small, but I promise that if I can do you a good turn in the future I will. Farewell!"

And it flew away, leaving Ariel to wonder.

* * *

Before dusk, Ariel settled down in a large tree-filled area to rest and eat a few of the fruit she'd picked from the trees. However, something seemed to keep moving in the surrounding environment.

She tensed a little. Every now and then she would hear a soft _whoosh_ , and one of the fruits she'd picked was gone.

"Either I'm being followed… or someone's playing a big joke." She pondered.

This time Ariel decided to wait a little to see what she was up against. So, when the figure next suddenly grabbed her fruit, she turned and immediately pursued.

"Hey, stop! What're you doing? That's mine!"

It jumped on branches easily ahead of her while she was on the ground pushing away the lower ones. Until one actually hit her in the face

 _WHAM!  
_  
Knocking her onto the ground. Unexpectedly, figure stopped. It approached and Ariel finally got a good look at what had taken her food: it was a human but with wild ginger hair and beard, blue eyes and sporting a jungle garb.

He outstretched his hands towards her to show a half-eaten melon. "Sorry."

"What are you?"

"I man."

She raised an eyebrow, "Can humans . . . fly?"

"I no fly, jump good."

He jumps high up to prove his point making Ariel gasp with delight. Then he fell back down and stopped just a few inches from the ground and laded softly on one foot.

"Oh," Ariel clapped. "That was amazing!" Then she remembered, "You think you can show me the out of the wood, I've got to find shelter for the night."

"I show you tribe, tribe show you way out."

Ariel climbed on his back and the wild man jumped from spot to branch until they reached an area full of trees each with large holes at the top.

Carefully she climbed down off his back just as he started making barking sounds then a howl. As if in answer to a doorbell, a vast number of apes hopped down from different corners of the trees and stood staring at Ariel curiously. They were all white furred, had blue faces hands and feet, pink noses and reached up to Ariel's elbows.

"Wow, there's' so many!" she exclaimed as one jumped on her getting a giggle out of the redhead, "But how'd you manage?"

"They raise me," explained the wild man, "They say long ago, I was other tribe. They say I stray from tribe and so, I became new member of tribe. And as you see, all tribe jump good! So I jump good!"

 _"Ariel!"  
_  
They all turned in surprise to see Scuttle with Sebastian on his back flying towards them.

"Scuttle! Sebastian, you found me!"

"Yes, we've been following you for days." said Sebastian.

"And we lost sight of ya back in the trees over there." added Scuttle, pointing behind him to emphasize his point.

Ariel introduced them, "These are my friends Sebastian and Scuttle."

"Friends!" the wild man said grabbing the three of them in a bone-crushing hug.

Sure, the past event two days ago still frightens Ariel; but she wasn't giving up, she was determined to see more of the surface world – if only as a way of honoring the human family who'd been so kind to her.

Of course Sebastian was still irked and worried about what Ariel had done. His first thought was to rush off and tell the sea king immediately, but they're already miles from the ocean. Right now, their best option was to travel until they find one.

And so the ape tribe guided the travelers to the edge of the forest where they continued wandering in hopes of reaching the ocean somehow.

* * *

Nearly two months had gone by and the leaves had from green to varying shades of brown, yellow, red and orange.

On this particular evening, Scuttle landed at the edge of a small waterfall under a log. At the same time, Ariel and Sebastian emerged from the water, having soaked in the water just enough for health's sake.

Carefully, the mermaid slipped her clothes and the black shoes she'd been given back on.

Sebastian got up, "We're all under a lot a pressure up here," he said. "I say that the sooner we find shelter for the night the better. . ."

It was then that Ariel felt/heard some rhythmic rumble beat by them. She looked to her left curiously, ignoring her temporary guardian. "What do you suppose?"

She began walking to where it was coming from.

"Arielle?" Sebastian inquired, "Arielle!"

And he rushed after her. He could hardly believe that after everything that had happened, the ex-mermaid was wandering off again!

Except Ariel grabbed him and put him in her front pocket when he called out to her, which meant she wanted to make sure this time wasn't an unpleasant surprise. Scuttle followed closely behind, sharing her curiosity.

The closer the mermaid princess walked towards it, the louder the music became and she was soon joining a number of individuals in bright clothing also following the sound.

"Arielle," Sebastian said, demanding an explanation. "What are you-" A steady musical beat cut him off. He turned around and gasped in shock. "Jumping jellyfish!"

The sight left the ex-mermaid breathless. Up ahead of her was a large crowd of youngsters – humans and other strange creatures that appeared to be having a party; beyond was a huge stage with even larger stereo boxes, surrounding it were steel railings holding more of the sound boxes. Red/pink lights, green screens, yellow and green ropes, and bubbles lit up the night sky in bright colors, illuminating the dark treetops.

It certainly brought back cheerful memories regarding the underground music club Sebastian and his band had run nearly two years ago.

The next thing Sebastian knew, Ariel was already weaving through the crowd happily, wanting to join in the recreation.

She approached a girl with violet buns and a red visor. "Hey, what's going on?"

The girl said with a welcome grin, "Oh, hang around, girl, they keep playing this rave so we can party all night long!"

Ariel liked the sound of that but Sebastian didn't.

"I do not know what a rave is, but I do know music," Sebastian grumbled to the mermaid princess, "And this is certainly NOT music!"

Soon, the little mermaid began dancing to the beat of the music in her own way – much to Sebastian's chagrin and Scuttle's content. A few boys asked her to dance to which she accepted, and a girl with red braids offered her some of the glowing green ropes, much to Ariel's excitement– this was so much fun!

Just then some bright spotlights lit up the center stage, making everyone to stop dancing.

Ariel paused and looked forwards curiously, what's next?

Emerging upwards slowly was the DJ, who wore dark round sunglasses and some odd-looking headphones

"Welcoooome, brothers and sisters!" he said in a rough, gravelly voice, "Can I get a kazaam?"

"KAZAAM!" the teens cried, Ariel cheered along with them excitedly.

"I, DJ Skybator am once again here to drop upon you all, the majestical, sounderific beats of… the Master!"

Ariel was about to vocally join in again but she looked confused when they said, "Aku…"

Frowning in confusion, she looked to Sebastian, who shared her dubiety. Ariel never heard the name but she wondered why it gave her an ominous feeling.

Up in the railings, Scuttle dropped his wings to his sides nervously, "This. . . .is not a good thing, right?"

"Skiz-yeah," the DJ continued, "Lend your ears, feast to the flavor, of the Aku-stic sound!"

He moved a record upon on the mixer, it scratched for a few seconds then a foreboding beat began.

Ariel just stared with one eyebrow raised.

"Just calmly back away, we don't want to draw attention to ourselves," the red crab whispered to her carefully. Maybe they could still leave before something bad happened.

But then something blew out of the sound boxes onto the audience including Ariel!

Up on the railings, Scuttle was almost blown away himself by the force. "Whoa! They're really trying to bring down the house here!"

The crowd of youngsters froze for a moment, then suddenly their eyes began to glow red, and sinister smiles appeared on their faces.

Sebastian, who had covered his ears the moment the beat blew against them, shook his head and complained, "Like I said, that IS not music!" he looked up to the mermaid princess, "Come Arielle, we must – Arielle? Arielle? Arielle!"

The mermaid princess' blue eyes had turned the same eerie blood-red glow as the others. She too danced along with the hypnotized teenagers in uncanny synchronization.

Before Sebastian or Scuttle could so much as formulate a plan, the bewitched adolescents started to move out in direction of a small town.

To make matters worse, the minute they arrived, all the teenagers began to trash and destroy everything in sight. Statues were wrecked, windows shattered, furniture thrown out the windows!

"Hey what's going down there?" Scuttle called then squawked upon seeing Ariel break a stain glass window with a crowbar. "Ariel, what are you doing?!"

" _ARIELLE_!" Sebastian scolded from his spot in her pocket, he pinched her, "Young lady, you look at me when I'm talking to you!"

But the entranced mermaid simply grabbed him and Scuttle, stuffing them into a cabinet and threw it down the stairs while they were up in one of the conjoined towers.

"Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow!"

The cabinet bounced downwards to the first floor and the two dazed sea creatures tumbled out.

Scuttle commented as he tried to steady himself, "Well, talking to her ain't working, we- we gotta try something else."

They followed close so they wouldn't lose sight of their princess again. Sebastian looked up and saw a bucket full of water being held on by some rope - and Ariel breaking a fountain right under it.

Reluctantly, the crab sighed, "Don't make me want to do this."

But since there seemed to be no stopping them, Sebastian grit his teeth, covered his eyes and grimly cut the rope with his claw.

At once the bucket dropped the cold water down on Ariel, drenching her completely. She slipped as her fin returned and she hit head on the soft wood of a barrel, knocking herself out.

* * *

The next morning, Ariel woke up with a head ache and her two friends looking at her anxiously.

"Oh, what happened?" she groaned, hand on her head.

Sebastian scurried up to her, "What happened was that you began to destroy every human object within your reach!"

"It was after that weirdo started playing that creepy music," Scuttle explained, "First you all got glowy-eyed, you started dancing and then you and the other humans marched all the way over here and started trashin' the place!"

He moved aside for Ariel to see how badly the teenagers had vandalized the small town overnight.

" _I did_?" Ariel felt herself grow used and guilty. She had wrecked a human dwelling and she didn't even remember it. How could she suddenly be so terrible at one point and then be herself the morning after?

"Now, child," Sebastian comforted her, "It's going to be alright."

"Let's just get outta here before something else happens." Scuttle advised.

Ariel nodded. They all gathered together and were once more on their way.

 ** _To be continued…_**


	4. Winter refuge and metropolis meandering

Days passed and the soft breeze became a chill wind which in turn came the icy frost of winter. And the expanse of countryside was slowly covered in a glittering, white powder-like substance. Eventually, it became too chilly for Scuttle to fly, so Ariel had to carry him and Sebastian in her arms through the frigid weather.

One day, a snow storm began to blow, and Ariel, who had only a blue cloak with her and flat shoes, felt terribly cold.

Sure, she'd swam in freezing waters before but that was back when she was still a mermaid and there had been hot springs close by at that time. Now she knew that if they didn't find shelter soon, they would all freeze to death.

As Ariel continued their trek through the ankle high snow, with her two companions' shivering, she spotted something just up ahead. It looked like a large round wooden door almost hidden by the white stuff. Someone must live there!

With as much strength as she could muster, Ariel began to make her way towards it. Already the elements threatened to freeze her eyes shut and she could barely feel her extremities. Worse yet, she was still to feel so tired…

Her left hand was just inches away, it fell on the wood on the door and she audibly slumped against it.

Exhaustion got the better of the little mermaid causing her to faint. She didn't even hear the frantic voices of her friends calling her name or the door opening…

* * *

Heat.

That's what Ariel first thought as she slowly began to regain consciousness. Her body was wrapped in something soft and pleasantly warmish. Also she could hear voices. Various male voices speaking in calm, serene tones. Some chanting and the sound of falling water.

"The storm was unexpected, I suspect it may have caught her by surprise."

"Yes, I believe she must've been traveling for quite some time."

Ariel stirred wearily, "Whatever you decide, I'd appreciate it if you look after Scuttle and Sebastian too."

"Your friends recovered hours before you awakened, my daughter." answered one voice gently, "They are anxiously awaiting news of your condition."

Blinking her eyes drowsily, once they had regained focus, she found herself staring at the top of cavern. Ariel carefully tried to pull herself up and almost cried out in surprise at what was offering her hot tea.

They were newts; Orange ones about as tall as young human children. Their black and brown eyes expressed kind, genuine concern for her.

"We feared that you'd succumbed to the bitter cold." said one wearing a yellow beaded collar and a turtleneck. "Please come this way. The master wishes to speak to you."

Ariel, feeling much warmer and certainly more energized, followed him. As she got up, Sebastian and Scuttle, who had been sitting a few feet away, were beckoned by one of the other monks to follow.

The little mermaid glanced at her surroundings. All around her, there seemed to be small shrines or pools filled with pink liquid.

Soon she and her friends were brought before a pink waterfall and floating two inches above the pool was a grey, aged newt. He wore a white robe and a brown beaded collar. He appeared to be sleeping, until he opened one eye and smiled kindly.

"Ah, yes, the wandering ocean maid." He said, "We were worried about you. But we are glad you and your companions are with us now."

Ariel smiled a small friendly smile. "I'd like to thank you for saving my life and for your kindness. Though we really just want to find a way back home."

"I'm afraid you'll all have to wait until spring, my child." The grand master told her gently, "The winter here can be harsh, however, we extend our invitation to you and to your friends."

The three ocean friends were disappointed they wouldn't be able to make the journey as soon as they'd have liked, however, they couldn't risk freezing out in the bitter cold either.

"Thank you." Ariel bowed her head.

"We would all appreciate it." Sebastian added.

"And how!" Scuttle nodded enthusiastically.

The group stayed in the monastery for the entire winter and as soon as the vestiges of spring emerged, they thanked their hosts for their generosity and continued on their way.

* * *

In the first week that went by, it wasn't long before the little mermaid and her friends understood they were as lost as they had been from the start of their journey. By one point, Ariel stood at the edge of a small hill, looking around. She set a reluctant Sebastian down on one side, then covered her eyes, lifted her arm and began to move it around to choose a direction.

But as she did this she lost her footing!

She slid down the steep hill and rolled into a large dirt pit.

 _Thump!_

Luckily, Ariel wasn't seriously hurt just a little shaken from the fall.

"Careful there!" someone called.

To her surprise, some bipedal dogs rushed over asking her if she was alright.

Ariel stood then brushed herself off with an inspiriting smile. "I'm fine, just slipped that's all."

"Better watch your step, lass," cautioned a small black Scotty dog, "Yer standing right in an archeological site."

"Ooh, sorry about that, I'm Ariel."

A small, long nosed stone blue dog with a monocle tipped his safari hat to her in greeting. "Delighted, dear girl, I am sir Colin Bartholomew Montgomery Rothchild the third, or Rothie for short." He motioned to a mastiff, "This is Sir Dreyfuss Alexander chief of excavation." And then to the Scotty dog, "And this fine gentlemen is Angus McDuffy, artifact aficionado." He then paused and sniffed, "You'll forgive me for saying so, young lady, but you've got an old smell about you."

Now instead of being insulted, Ariel was curious. "What kind?"

"The smell of the sea, girl!" McDuffy said earnestly, "You've been to the beach, haven't you?"

Ariel rubbed the back of her neck, "Yes and no. Well technically I am from the sea."

"You don't say! You and your family live by the seashore?" asked Rothie, his tail wagging.

Ariel shook her head with a smile.

"That's quite puzzling, unless of course you're referring that you're actually-"

"She's got legs, you idiot!"

The dogs all jumped back in surprise as Sebastian suddenly yelled up at them.

"She went to a human in de swamp and got legs, geez man!"

Scuttle flew over, landed gently on the ground and laughed, "Brace yourself folks, Ariel's no human: She's a mermaid."

The dogs listened intently but as soon as the words were out of his beak, they laughed – until they saw the solemn look on their faces.

"She's one of the seven mermaid princesses," Scuttle explained now he had their full attention, "She was magically transformed into a human 'cuz she wanted to be one – only we all got a few bumps in the road and now…"

Sebastian cuffed him, "Oh, why don't you just tell every livin' soul the entire story while you're at it!"

"Sorry," said McDuffy, "We've seen a lotta strange things in our lifetime, but this un's a bit hard to swallow."

Dreyfuss added, "No one's ever heard of a mermaid wanting to explore the surface let alone let themselves be seen completely."

"And the less humans know the better!" Sebastian snapped.

"Well, I wanted to see more above the water and be human, if just for a while." Ariel told them determinedly, "Right now, I want to see just a little more before I go home. Do you know where the nearest city is?"

Ariel didn't notice it but the dogs all became quite uncomfortable. As if they knew something terrible that they didn't want to mention out loud.

"Erm, are you certain want to go there?" Rothie asked her a little unsurely.

"Yes, please." Ariel replied fervently, "I already said I want to explore the world above the waves."

"Yeah!" Scuttle chipped in excitedly.

Rothie spoke up, "W-well, we really don't advise you to go to this one city, Ariel. It's already perilous enough as it is."

Ariel said excitedly, "Even better! All the more reason for us to go there, I want to see what I can find."

"No, no. You don't understand, the city belongs to a ruthless tyrant!"

"That's alright," Ariel said confidently, "I'm sure whoever he is, he won't be interested in a human girl, a crab and a seagull passing through. Up here on the surface, I'm just Ariel the human."

The dogs exchanged looks, she was very insistent. Also she had a point, no one really knows she's a mermaid princess out of the sea exploring the world.

"Very well," Rothie sighed, "If you insist, go straight to the west, there you'll reach the road. Once there, you must be cautious, for it'll be more precarious after nightfall."

"Thank you!" Ariel smiled.

She picked up Sebastian, Scuttle spread his wings to fly upwards and began walking towards the west.

"But do be careful, young lady!"

"And stick to the road!"

So the little mermaid and friends continued on their way, intent on exploring more of this 'dangerous' city and ready for the indescribable new sights awaiting.

* * *

Finally they have arrived to the outskirts of the conurbation the archeologist dogs informed her about. Ariel and her friends observed from atop cliff with a mixture of dread and bewilderment.

The metropolis looked quite unpropitious; the structures were mostly of two single colors: black and red. One tall edifice stood out the most in the very center of the city; surely it had to be one of great importance. The landscape around the great metropolitan area was a barren wasteland; the ground riddled with crimson cracks while the sky itself seemed darker and gloomier even though it was still daytime. Truly a bleak contrast to the vibrant green of the woodlands they'd seen miles back.

What else drew them to this place of mystery? Hunger? Desperation? Or perhaps it was love of adventure. Either way, their curiosity was aroused – mostly Ariel and Scuttle's. Sebastian kept his guard up, after all someone had to have a healthy sense of vigilance.

It took courage to go through the entrance, to make this journey into the unknown. They easily blended in with several denizens, though something bothered them.

"Why all the guards? Is it so important to keep everything else out?" wondered the mermaid.

Sebastian shivered a little, "Looks more like something meant to keep things in."

Ariel shrugged. "Let's move, we didn't come all this way here just to stare from the gates."

Everything was just so new - it was walking into an entirely different world. The buildings looked nothing like those from her home in Atlantica, these were made of concrete and metal, the peaks reaching miles into the sky. The transportation vehicles seem to float or glide through the air yet no creatures pulled them along.

The streets and areas were filled with so many interesting things, she barely knew where to look first. The inhabitants they saw looked like humans - most of them did anyway, the rest were different creatures of varying shapes, sizes and features. Others appeared unpleasant-looking or down right intimidating.

And it smelled rather awful around here. Not exactly an ideal place to explore but her curiosity was too strong.

With Scuttle flying overhead as a scout, Ariel passed down some narrow pathways right under a bridge where something big and noisy passed by. As soon as it left, the sound of laughter met her ears. Just a few feet away a large group of children were playing.

The mermaid smiled a little and approached wanting to join in the fun. Unfortunately, as she got closer to what was crowd of children, she slipped and then some ice cold water from a leaky clean water pipe fell on her.

She cried out in shock when it happened. Her shout got the kids attention. They spun around and were immediately intrigued at the sight of a mermaid just a few feet away.

Some of the little girls among them gasped in delight.

"A mermaid!"

"They're not make believe! They're alive!"

At once a few of them rushed over in curiosity, Sebastian yelped and promptly ducked back into Ariel's bag.

"Hi!" said one little girl.

"Oh hello!" Ariel smiled sweetly. "I'm Ariel."

The children smiled and some were whispering excitedly.

"Ariel the mermaid." whispered one little boy in a white bath robe. "My mom will never believe this!"

Ariel grinned sympathetically, "No, I suppose not."

Another boy spoke up, "My mom used to tell me stories about them and that all mermaids were pretty. And she was right, you're very pretty…"

"Well thank you." Ariel said, blushed.

She was happy that younger humans and other land-dwellers were quite friendly, even as they found out what she was.

"I used to want to be a mermaid when my mom told me stories." said a small girl with big blue eyes and a blond ponytail. "Can I be one?"

Ariel was taken aback and shook her head, "No, why?" She gently took one of the little girl's hands and patted her head in a motherly manner, "Why would you want to be a mermaid, when you can be human?"

"Not from where we're standing." said one boy pointy black hair that stuck out in all directions. "Up here we all have to do is listen and live under Aku's rule."

Another boy shrugged his shoulders. "Dunno. Thought it'd be cool to swim all the time."

"It's not as fun as you think." Ariel replied, pursing her lips.

She waited for the children to situate around her before she began to sing. " _I wanna be where the people are, I wanna see, wanna see them dancin'! Walking around on those - what do you call 'em?"_

"Feet!" One little red-haired said delightedly.

" _Flippin' your fins, you don't get too far. Legs are required for jumping, dancing, strolling along down a - what's that word again?"_

"Street." finished the boy with spiky black hair.

 _"Up where they walk, up where they run, Up where they stay all day in the sun! Wanderin' free - wish I could be, Part of that world_."  
 _What would I give if I could live out of these waters? What would I pay to spend a day warm on the sand? Bet'cha on land they understand, That they don't reprimand their daughters. Bright young women, sick of swimmin' . Ready to stand!" And ready to know what the people know. Ask 'em my questions and get some answers. What's a fire and why does it - what's the word? Burn? When's it my turn? Wouldn't I love, love to explore that world up above? Out of the sea...Wish I could be...Part of your world…_ "

When she finished singing, she looked round her young audience, every little face had a small dreamy smile.

"Hey Ariel?" came a little girl's voice. "Will you tell us a story?"

The other kids all snapped out of their happy trance from Ariel's beautiful voice and chirped in.

"Yeah, tell us a story!"

For the next half hour, the little mermaid and the city children exchanged stories. Ariel started out with hers, telling how a mermaid wanted to go up to the surface and see the world above the waves. So she went to an old man in the swamp who gave her a potion to become human. On the surface, the mermaid's visit went horribly wrong when a terrible monster decided to keep her as his slave.

But not all hope was completely lost.

A wandering knight helped the mermaid escape, the Sea king was so grateful that he declared peace between humans and merpeople for all time.

While the children told her a story they made up themselves. They weaved a tale about a wandering samurai from the past – a sort of warrior she was told – who traveled far and wide until he finally reached an evil wizard's castle to free the land from his reign of terror. The battle was long and fierce but in the end he triumphed and the samurai began his quest to find a way back to his home in the far past.

Once Ariel's fin dried and became legs again, she bid the children good-bye and continued her trek through the city with Sebastian. Though they were both filled with so many questions. Who was Aku?

The children described him as an evil king of some sort that ruled the entire realm but not enough details on what he looked like. Whoever he was, Sebastian just hoped they never run into him.

Little did Ariel know was that she'd receive an answer sooner than she thinks.

* * *

Hours later, her encounters with other city denizens were less than favorable. First when she tried asking about the whys and wherefores involving modern conveniences/technology several cavilers scoffed at her naïve ignorance, then two rather nasty young women shamelessly criticized her to her face. After finally managing to evade them, the young ex-mermaid and her companion thought it best to find shelter.

To their dismay, in what felt like mere minutes, the already lugubrious sky rumbled with thunder clouds. Oh no, that meant rain – which meant water and that meant her fin would return until it was dry again. Scuttle flew up ahead to guide her to a water-proof spot.

Next, as Ariel speed-walked through the alleys, she suddenly found herself cornered by some rather rough looking men, demanding she hand over any money she was carrying.

"But I don't have anything!"

"You holding out, Red!"

"Holding out what?"

Not believing her, they start patting her down to see if we have anything in them – except Sebastian was still in her front pocket. The crab took his chance to pinch said assailant as hard as he could.

The moment he let go, Ariel was able to slip free and run.

"Over here sweetie!" Scuttle pointed out to a loose grate.

Ariel pries it open, climbed in with Sebastian and Scuttle then closed it, holding still as the sound of rushing footsteps faded away.

"Phew. That was too close."

Not a moment too soon either, the sky rumbled once more and it began to rain. The small group moved deeper into the tunnel until they were by with looked to be the entrance that lead to sewer pipes to the outside.

Oh well at least the interior was somewhat dry and it would have to do for now.

Tomorrow they would decide the next course of action. Ariel finally relents to Sebastian's words about leaving first thing in the morning.

 _ **To be continued…**_


	5. Big city, Dark reign

**AN: Fun fact - Ariel only spent two and half weeks with the farming village before it was attacked, the rest of the Fall in the wilderness with Sebastian and Scuttle then, spent two or three months of Winter in the monastery before leaving.**

In their temporary hiding spot, Ariel and her friends awakened. They peeked out to see if the coast was clear.

However, with the leftover rain dripping down, Ariel's feet got wet again, her fin returned. Before she could start to dry it, Sebastian stopped her momentarily. "We must be cautious, otherwise we might never reach home."

"How? We don't even know where we are in the city let alone where the nearest ocean is."

"I could just fly up and scope out the area." Scuttle offered.

Ariel pondered his words for a moment, "Those buildings are pretty tall maybe we can get a bird's eye view – like you said. That way we can see things better."

"Then we could send word out to the sea king."

The redhead had been about to agree before remembering what happened when she last saw her father months ago.

"Not just yet. We can get instructions and have someone we know tell Daddy we're safe and that we'll back soon. I still want to show him I found that not all humans and land dwellers are bad-"

"Arielle!" Sebastian griped, "We all barely escaped a monster and your family hasn't heard from you – or us- in five whole months! It's high time to let them know you're still alive and in one piece!"

"We can still do that Sebastian, I just want to bring back proof somehow." Ariel protested. "If it makes you feel any better, we'll find some breakfast then get our bearings around here."

The crab huffed. "Fine. But if something else happens girl, we get out of this place and back to the water as soon as possible!"

"Alright, alright."

First thing's first, they had to dry Ariel's fin to regain her legs if they were going to put their plan into motion. None of them knew that the entire conversation had been overheard by a spy – and they would all be in grave danger before sunset.

* * *

Hours later, after bartering with a friendly lady for a meal, Ariel and her friends had asked for directions and they were told where they could get a better view of the city and see the ocean from said location.

Just as they headed for one of the higher buildings, Sebastian noticed some rough looking individuals had begun following Ariel. He quietly informed her, the mermaid turned discreetly and felt incredibly uncomfortable.

She paid attention to her first instinct: Flee!

In seconds, the young mermaid was running for her life with the brigands speed-walking, however she reached the edge of the airway traffic. She looked back, then forwards and got a reckless idea.

"Ariel?" Sebastian questioned then noticed her determined look, "No- Arielle - don't you – Aaargh!"

But the little mermaid already jumped in with Scuttle flying after them.

She landed on one car on her feet, then she had to jump off quickly just before she was shot at. To and fro, she went avoiding getting hit with the same speed and grace she possessed when she was a mermaid. Finally she grabbed onto a sign and pulled herself right onto the safety of the sidewalk. Hesitantly, Sebastian peeked out and Scuttle landed right by Ariel.

They'd been spotted by three youngsters about two years Ariel's senior, who'd seen her try to avoid getting run over by the overhead traffic. Immediately they cheered excitedly.

"Babe, that was some awesome show!" The magenta boy shouted.

"I never seen a honey move like that!" said the short blue one.

"Word! Chick was all rickey-chikedly jumping dilly!" said a skinny green one.

"Prodigiously, acrobatastic!"

"Word, word!"

"But foxy's all uh-uh! Zip! I'm out!"

The boys continued shouting her praises.

Ariel actually smiled, she didn't think her little escape trick had been all that impressive but it nice to get genuine compliments from humans. "Well, I… thanks. Uhm, could you possibly tell me where I am?"

"Babe, you're in the gutter level in the gutter level of central hub on sector D."

"Central hub?" Ariel questioned.

The most crowded-est," said the blue one

"Stinkiest." said the magenta one.

"Most miserable-est." said the green one

"Residential, industrial spaceport on earth."

"Well that took the fun out of the touristic view of the place." Scuttle mumbled.

It looks like their plan to get to higher ground for a better view together was scrapped for the moment.

Ariel looked a little perplexed. "Er, I can see that. Look I'm sort of in a problem, I need to speak the ruler of this place." She paused a little before asking, "Is he human too?"

The boys only laughed as if the redhead had just told a hilarious joke.

Their response left Ariel confused and a little miffed. Scuttle stared puzzled. Sebastian folded his claws. "What's so funny, mon?"

The boys stopped laughing, but didn't seemed surprised to see Sebastian or Scuttle talking.

"You don't see Aku…" said the magenta one, "Aku sees you!"

The little mermaid raised an eyebrow curiously. There was the name Aku again.

'Who is he?' wondered Ariel.

"Er…Aku?" Sebastian questioned, he seemed to be thinking the same thing.

"Yeah man," said the blue one, "Aku, the Master of masters."

"The Deliverer of Darkness." said the magenta one.

"The Shogun of sorrow." said the green one.

'Oh dear…that certainly does sound like a tyrant.' Ariel thought, 'but if he wasn't a human, then what was he?'

Next, as if in silent answer to her question, the three boys had glanced at her then in different directions. Almost as if saying with their eyes 'Look around, you'll see what we mean.'

And that was how Ariel finally noticed that she hadn't been looking properly at her surroundings in the city in the day she, Sebastian and Scuttle had spent there. She'd been much too distracted by all the other surface things to notice.

Slowly she followed one of their gazes, Sebastian from his spot and Scuttle following suit…she curiously glances up at a giant electronic advertisement screen…

The effect was instantaneous: Ariel's blue eyes widened in terror. She dropped her belongings with a large clatter.

Sebastian's jaw dropped with his trademark, horrified yelp. Scuttle gasped.

Perturbed, their eyes darted around. There were more of the screens featuring this horror, and the top of the buildings – most of the spikes were shaped like the horns of the creature!

So that terrible monster that frightened her and attacked the human village she'd stayed at was the very tyrannical sovereign of this city?!

Ariel began to shake uncontrollably in fear. She had to get out of this place!

The three homeboys had noticed her reaction, and looked a little concerned since she looked to be on the verge of a panic attack.

"Yo babe, wassup?" asked the magenta one, "You don't look so good."

"I-I-I'll be fine…" Ariel barely managed to gasp out, then she spun to face them, "Please, tell me where the nearest exit is!"

"That's easy foxy," shrugged the green one. "Just keep going forward, westward there you can hit the road at the borders."

"Word!" said the blue one, "Everybody who wants hightail it outta this dump, they head for west!"

"Thank you!" Ariel croaked and she took off running with Scuttle flying off after her.

"Wait for me!"

The little mermaid finally relents to Sebastian's words about leaving the city as soon as possible.

* * *

Dusk was fast approaching. Ariel held Sebastian close and stumbled about the streets and alleys. Scuttle had been sent on ahead to scout for any sign of tell-tale trouble.

"They said to head for West…" The mermaid murmured.

She saw a sign that indicated the docks – she remembered that they're supposedly an area of water between or next to one or a group of structures involved in the handling of boats or ships. "Of course!"

"We can't –"

Ariel looked to him excitedly, "Don't you see? Docks mean boats and ships, and where they are that means we're close to the sea!"

Sebastian brightened at her speculation. "Sea? Well what are we waiting for?!"

Ariel hurried to the road as quickly as she could. Once in the water maybe she can see Flounder, and having send word out then she'll find another section that-

Just then a terrible squawk made her stop in surprise. Scuttle frantically fluttered down to stop them.

"We got company, and I don't think they're feeling neighborly." He pointed with his wing towards one section of the docks.

The now worried seagull explained that he'd seen the docks and had circled to see a free spot where Ariel could safely swim away when suddenly some creepy uniformed beings had started blocking off possible avenues of escape and interrogating all the sailors then holding up pictures of a woman. But not just any woman – they were talking about the little mermaid herself!

Immediately, her hackles were raised, Ariel peeked from the corner, and saw several of the blue-suited spectral creatures Scuttle had described talking to the mariners below.

"Lord Aku's orders! Seal off the area. Find the mermaid, and do not harm her!"

Frightened, Ariel quickly hides behind a wall exchanging nervous glances with her friends. They had to get out right now.

"I just don't understand, why are they after me?" the ex-mermaid gasped.

"I don't know but I don't like it!" Sebastian bemoaned.

She runs back towards the streets and overheard a truck driver saying he was headed outwards towards the west to make a delivery.

"This could be our ride out of here!" Ariel whispered her plan, she and Sebastian would hide in the back while Scuttle flies overhead to keep a look out in case more of these dreadful things see them.

"Don't I get a vote?" Sebastian whined.

Ariel didn't answer, she jumps right in and hides behind the crates.

Nothing prepared her for the dangers of the city, nor the traveling conditions she and Sebastian were in. Oppressive atmosphere, cramped position she had to take, the panicky instinct to hide and keep still whenever the truck stopped.

Back outside poor Scuttle wasn't faring any better entirely. He was panting and landed on a sign post to catch his breath. The truck was going too fast for him to catch up.

Sadly, this wouldn't be the last time the small group would be kept from reaching the ocean or contacting the sea king.

 _ **To be continued…**_


	6. Fright or flight

The ride went as well as expected, Ariel and Sebastian waited a few hours until the truck came to its first stop. While the workers were busy unloading, they made their way into a nearby small town which was just meters into the woods.

Everything will be fine, she thought. All she had to do was get some food, ask directions to the nearest ocean and hopefully be home before the next sunset.

Fortunately, the inn patrons didn't ask too many questions, having bartered what was needed to stay for the night. However she soon noticed the new wanted posters with her face on it when she'd gone for food that late afternoon.

By then, they were striving to pull themselves together. With Ariel trying to convince herself that no one was after her.

As the little ex-mermaid walked to the window to open it, a shriek almost burst forth - those awful fiends she saw in the city docks were here!

Sebastian was just as frightened but did his best to keep her calm. Already they could hear voices – some belonging to the owner of the place and… possibly their pursuers.

That does it! Ariel snatched up her bag, picked up Sebastian and jumped out the window. She was afraid of being chased and kept running.

Just a few lights were burning – most of them from the interior of the buildings. There was no time nor could she afford to waste it by pounding on the doors and pleading with them to hide her.

The forest – it was full of hiding places and would hopefully throw them off her track. Yet even as she fled with her little companion, she asked the same questions: Why were they chasing her? What did their Master want her for?

With the sun already setting and no electric lights whatsoever, they were going to be wandering the dark foliage blind as a bat. Dreadfully enough, there was not a sound of a bird or an insect within the last few minutes. Whenever that happens, that meant a predator lurked close by.

Now the silence of the woods echoed with quickening footsteps. Ariel stopped briefly to catch her breath. She turns to glance into the wilderness around them. She might as well see what they were up against. "They're moving."

"Circling us in the dark like predators." Sebastian whispered.

They strain to hear the footfalls getting closer and closer.

Both ex-mermaid and crab turn slowly, following the sounds. The bushes were moving even though the wind had died down. Ariel saw a flash of something red whiz by.

What was that?

The rustling in the vegetation just a good seven feet from her, was getting louder.

Carefully, she scanned from left to right and caught a glimpse of venomous green eyes glaring out at her from the shadows.

And another. She looked to the right, when she looked to the left there was at least five different pairs of unblinking eyes watching her with cold malice.

The former mermaid turned and fled. She knows they're still right behind them, she could hear the quick footsteps and raspy voices getting closer.

Just then she heard something else: Running water. That could only mean there's a river somewhere up ahead.

Good! If Ariel could just get to the water she can use her temporarily regained fin and biology to her advantage in hiding.

She'd taken no more than a few steps forward when a dozen of those eerie uniformed creatures, leap towards them shrieking and brandishing weapons and nets.

Horrified, opened her mouth to scream but her voice, her words failed her. Her elbow was grabbed roughly in a tight grip and she was spun around to look straight into the green eyes of a soldier.

For a few seconds, Ariel was too afraid to react. Then she thrashed, wrenching herself free. Sebastian pinched whatever else tried to grab at them as strong as he could.

Panicking, Ariel held tightly to her companion before stopping at the edge of a cliff overlooking the river she'd heard earlier.

Looking back at where her pursuers were swiftly catching up and at the body of water below, she and Sebastian exchanged glances and firm nods before Ariel jumped. They'd rather be swept away, than be captured for whatever nefarious plan involved.

Plunging down, down, down into the watery depths, her legs became her green fish tail once again.

Briefly bobbing out of the water, she could hear those awful growling voices no doubt furious at her escape.

It was time to get out of sight. She and Sebastian dove into the currents in fear, with any luck they can avoid those things in the next populated area. And be able to return to the sea as soon as possible.


	7. Wool over the eyes

The turn of events left Sebastian worried and angry – he just didn't know how right he was to be. Ariel however, was another story. She knew they couldn't exactly afford to go traipsing around the land without a guide and knowing a demonic Overlord could possibly be after her. Which was why she'd accepted this woman – Ikra's help.

"You think we'll be safer if we went somewhere populate – with places to hide?" The young mermaid asked.

"Not for long, if he's looking for you as you say he is – then, out here in the open without a disguise, you're a moving target."

True, if she's discovered the consequences will be dire.

"So exactly why were you using that fork instead of a hairbrush?"

"Fork?" Ariel blinked then remembered how the green skinned woman had eyed her strangely for running it through her hair last night. "Oh, I know what it's for, the dingle-hopper is thing humans use to straighten their hair -"

To the mermaid's befuddlement, the other woman suddenly laughs.

Ariel paused, "What's so funny?"

"Who taught you about that?"

"My friend Scuttle told me."

"Scuttle?"

Ariel elaborated, "He's a seagull, he seen humans…."

"Well that explains it." Ikra then told her, "No, it's a food utensil, not a hair combing device. I guess I'm gonna have to take you out on the town more often, huh?"

"I guess so." grinned Ariel sheepishly.

A little later by nightfall they'd found a fresh lake where the mermaid was able to soak her fin.

"So then they're not… some bizarre thrice removed relatives?" Ikra asked the little mermaid.

Ariel shook her head, "Most things in the sea do eat fish including many other fish. Merfolk are biologically speaking – mammalian and amphibious omnivores all at once. We just don't eat other sentient sea creatures out of common courtesy for those that are our closest friends."

While she lounged on the smooth rock contently, letting her fin dangle into the cool, fresh water, Sebastian remained on a small spot nearby.

Again he notices something off about the 'human' woman with them. Ikra was giving the little mermaid a long hard look as though she were fine prize. He didn't know why, but he certainly didn't like it one bit.

Sebastian cleared his throat, if only to deliberately divert the stranger's gaze from Ariel and questioned caustically, "Just where exactly from the surface world are you from?"

"Certainly much further than you've ever been." The woman sneered, giving the crab a hard glare as if in warning.

Before the crab could retort, Ariel popped out from the water that moment. "Hey, what were you two talking about?"

"Just wondering how the two of you ended up miles away from the sea?"

Ariel's face feel slightly, "Well… that's kind of a long story."

"If you want to talk about it… perhaps getting it off your chest will help."

Sebastian looked between the two, silently urging Ariel not to say anything more to no avail.

"I suppose it all started with well the first few human things I found and stored…"

There she told of her collection, ravenous curiosity of the surface world and of her father's repeated warnings that contact between merpeople and humans is forbidden.

Now, he knew of her fascination with mankind and realizes the youngest of Triton's daughters will never be truly settled until she has walked among the surface dwellers.

"He doesn't understand me!" Ariel sighed, "He doesn't even try. I've never felt at home there."

Ikra then suggested, "What if home isn't the place where you were born? What if it's a place you have to discover for yourself?"

* * *

The next day, the small group was passing by a small town celebrating the Spring Equinox.

It was a wonder the mermaid didn't get dizzy from running around from one section to another in her excitement. She'd seen so many wonderful things and met lots more surface dwellers, not just humans. It's happy moments up here on land that make her certain that there were so many good things about the world above the waves, despite the unmistakable tyranny of Aku's reign. She only wishes her Father could understand…

Of course, Ariel was a little worried Scuttle and Jack still hadn't caught up to them yet. However she remains hopeful that they will turn up sooner or later.

So long as they were sight-seeing, they might as well make the best of it. By then Ariel broke into a song the square, livening up the festivities with a lively ditty about how important it is to be accepting of each other's differences.

It didn't take long for the townspeople to join in the singing and dancing. " _In harmony! Harmony!_ "

Then to Ikra's awkward surprise, at the near last part of the chorus; the older woman blushed a little as Ariel took her hands to join in the dance.

Once the song came to an end, the townspeople actually cheered. Through it all, the whole event would've been mortifying had it been with anyone else, but with the mermaid (especially with a dulcet voice like hers) it was… enchanting.

He ought to have seen it coming: First, you think they're not good enough. Then they grow on you, and then you can't live without them.

Just then, they passed by an old beggar woman who stares intently at them and suddenly spoke with a raspy voice. "I smell evil."

The trio paused. Ariel and Sebastian looked uneasy, they didn't see the irritated expression on Ikra.

"Oh woe to you, child of the waves! Beware, now that he has you he'll never let you be!"

Who or What was she talking about? What evil?

"Yes, thank you we'll ponder that." Ikra replied stiffly, before leading Ariel away.

Even as they were five feet away, the old woman continued her warnings: "Flee while you still can! Flee!"

* * *

She leans in close when talking; touching the younger woman on her arm or shoulder. She gives her admiring complements about her voice and vibrant disposition. The redhead never noticed anything off not once, not even as they were getting their bearings straight.

Sebastian whispered into Ariel's ear when Ikra wasn't looking, "Don't lose sight of the original goal: We have to find the ocean!"

"That's what I'm doing." Ariel replied.

Sebastian protests, "Does SHE have to come along?!"

Ikra rolls her eyes and discreetly moves her hands behind Ariel's back it grew longer, then flicked Sebastian away.

The red crab falls off Ariel's shoulder with a yell. The two women continue to walk off as he pulls his head out of the ground. He spits out grass, and begins to box in place, fists flying.

Of course, that was all before they found out the horrible truth… before reaching the hill.

 **AN: A longer detailed view of how the week Ariel and Sebastian went through with them not knowing Ikra was Aku.**


	8. Remaining scars

Since her adventure on the surface, her whole life began to feel different. A part of her longed to go with Jack, but all she could do was say goodbye to him and watch from a distance.

What could she do about it? They were from two different worlds. He's a human from the distant past and she's a mermaid in this current era.

Now she's back home in Atlantica - the events left her changed in more ways than one: Naturally she misses Jack but there's also something else that keeps her on edge.

For one thing, she keeps having nightmares involving her ordeal in the Pit of Hate, making refuse to leave her room again not even to go exploring, visit her own grotto with Flounder or see any of her other friends.

It didn't take that long for her family to notice. One morning, King Triton sees Ariel's spot was empty and asked where Ariel was.

Andrina looked up briefly to reply, "She said to tell you she's not gonna make it."

King Triton and Sebastian exchanged glances: _No breakfast?_

When going to her room to find out why…

"Honestly, I'm not hungry!" Ariel's voice answered from within.

"Are you sure?"

Inside her room, the youngest sea princess whimper softly, "IthinkIcanIthinkIcanIthinkIcanIthinkIcan." Until she sees a few moving shadows at the edge of the old garden.

 _ **'You cannot hide from me forever.'**_

"NO!" she dives back into her bed taking a fetal position, pulling the sheets around her in fright.

* * *

Triton and and his older daughters try to do what they can, at first it was mostly to try and get Ariel to come out of her shell (no pun intended) but then they talked to the few people that can have a good idea of what's wrong: Archimedes and the Triceraquins, who had been with Jack that day. However, ever since that fateful day, Archimedes had gone traveling throughout the ocean and it was unclear when he would return.

So it was just the three triceraquins that had arrived to Atlantica at Triton's request, and try to find out what's ailing the little mermaid.

"Your father and sisters tell me you're afraid to come out. Is that true?" questioned the lead one.

"No, that's ridiculous!" Ariel replied from her spot.

"Alright then, let's try something else. I'm going to hand you some images and I want you to try and tell me what you think they are."

He passes some ink blot test cards towards Ariel through the crack of the large clam door.

"A dinglehopper - better known as a fork." She said brightly then mutters, "Probably melted down with heat beam eyes."

Then at the next one, "A bright meadow. Possibly turned into a desolate wasteland some time ago."

All three amphibious beings listen carefully to her replies.

"I wonder..." One of them said thoughtfully recalling something. Then he pulls out a different sort of image card looking at it with a grimace then slips it under the door. It was a silhouette image of Aku.

Ariel barely gasps out, "I-I have no idea!"

At once, they all exchange tense looks.

* * *

Moments later, we see the triceraquins talking to Triton and the other six mermaid princesses in the throne room.

"Either your youngest daughter has been terribly frightened by her ordeal as Aku's prisoner or she's inherited some bizarre paranoid behavior." replied the leader to them.

"Does something like that run in…?" inquired the second.

"I highly doubt it's the latter." Triton replied steadily, trying to take all of it in.

Sebastian comes through shouting, "It's my worst nightmare!" he paused noticing that they had company, "Next to the nightmare where you're yelling at me."

"Not now Sebastian! The Triceraquins are telling me what's wrong with Ariel!" King Triton chided him.

Although the visitors were somewhat amused with Sebastian's antics, the current conflict was top priority.

One of the triceraquins cleared his throat, "I'm correct in assuming that she hasn't given you anymore details regarding her whereabouts before the Samurai ad his friend arrived to Atlantica."

Attina nodded, "She's only told us what she'd seen on her adventures."

"Right up until the part where Aku captured her- she refuses to tell us anything else." finished Arista.

"And at night, she's been having nightmares where she sometimes wakes up screaming." added Adella, "But she won't tell us anything about that either!"

The triceraquins listened carefully to each of them, exchanged glances, nodded and finally the lead one of them said. "Then from what I can theorize something must've happened to Ariel in the space of time between her imprisonment and eventual return home. However she appears to be in complete denial and she won't be able to leave her quarters until she decides to confront this fear by revealing the cause of her frequent nightmares and anxiety."

"What can we do?" Triton asked them earnestly.

"Right now it's best that you give her your full support during this time."

"The right amount of counseling."

"And above all patience," said the third one, "Trust and encourage her GENTLY, do not push her."

"I think I may just the thing to get her speak out again like she used to." Sebastian piped up.

"Are certain you know how to tackle Ariel's disposition?" Triton asked him skeptically.

"Just leave it to me."

* * *

"Save your breath, Sebastian, I'm not talking." Ariel replied moodily.

"Arielle," Sebastian said calmly, "Do know you what was one o' the most important thing I learned in school?"

"No laughing in class?" She asked rather sarcastically.

"No, even more important. I learned it's ok to be afraid. Here's a little trick my teacher showed me, writing down our fears on a piece of paper." He took a quill and a piece of parchment, "I'll go first, my fears... Let's see I'm afraid of de ride tide, I'm afraid of sharks, I'm afraid of…settin' your father off."

He hands one to Ariel.

"I don't know what to write." She claimed.

"Let me help we'll start with the letter A." Sebastian said and as he spoke, Ariel slowly gripped her blankets, "You're afraid of A-A-A-"

"Anemones?" Ariel said trying to keep him from making her say it out loud.

Sebastian shook his head, "No, Ak- Ak-"

"Aquamarines?"

The red crab sighed this was going to be harder than he thought. "You keep working on that I've got every confidence in you."

Ariel watched him leave then she wrote down only : My fears, Ariel.

But then she scowled and put it on her bedside table impatiently.

* * *

In spite of Sebastian and his efforts, Ariel still refused to leave the safety of her bedroom. Inside, most of the time she just slept when the nightmares woke her at night. But she couldn't reveal what upset her so much - it was too horrible for anyone of her friends or family to know and she feared what'll happen if word got out to the surface. Not that it would've probably mattered, but it was more of the feeling to her, it would mean that her tormentor already had lain some form of claim on her.

Her family was worried sick, fearing that she may let herself waste away by refusing to eat next so they all redoubled their efforts to show their support to her.

Triton said to Ariel, "The day you want, in the very moment you wish for we're here to listen to you."

What I want is that one particular space of time to have never happened. Ariel thought morosely.

Even most of Ariel's old friends were doing their best to persuade her. It wasn't long before two old friends of hers popped by to try and see if they could be of some help.

Gabriella (the deaf/mute mermaid Ariel had befriended in her youth) and her octopus friend/translator Ollie requested to spend the night with Ariel in an effort to figure out the cause of her nightmares and possibly offer some consolation with it. Triton agreed, if only to see if they would have more success than the rest of them. And maybe then he could find out what was causing his youngest child so much distress that she could not voice it?

* * *

The night had fallen and everyone was asleep or at least for the moment.

It had been close to midnight when Gabriella stirred and rose silently, looking around at her dozing friends. At first she'd wondered why she'd awakened in the middle of the night then she turned to look at Ariel, who had begun to toss and turn. Suddenly, the redhead started to whimper fearfully, shaking her head in her sleep.

Gabriella stared at her friend, looking worried. Although unable to hear what she was saying, she could read lips and from what she can tell, that nightmare Ariel was currently in must have to do with something awful - one that affected her spiritually and physically.

"No, please, don't hurt me!" The sleeping mermaid begged, "Don't do this! Please, I don't love you! NO!"

Now feeling genuinely alarmed, Gabriella swam over and began trying to shake the terrified princess awake.

Sebastian, Flounder and Ollie woke up to the sounds of Ariel's wails.

"Let me go! Aku, please, just let me go home! Please!"

Now that made them freeze. They knew he had something to do with it, but they didn't know the full extent.

A very concerned Gabriella continued shaking her with a bit more force, except this time, the others joined in to try and wake her.

"Wake up, you're having a nightmare!"

"Ariel! Ariel!"

"Wake up, Ariel!"

Her blue eyes snapped open, wide with fear and sees the alarmed and worried faces of her friends staring down at her. Gabriella moved her hands rapidly and worriedly in sign language while Ollie translated them into words: "You were screaming in your sleep,"

Ariel slowly rose up, taking deep breaths to calm herself, "You're not going to ask why I woke up this time in the middle of the night?"

"It's not really my place to pry," Ollie translated Gabriella's sign language. "You have your reasons, you'll talk to us: your friends or to your family when you're ready. It's up to you, not us."

Ariel holds her covers close right to her collar bone. Could she actually go on like this, suffering in silence without telling anyone until it consumes her? Sooner or later they would find out, maybe it was best if she tells her friends first before going to her father and sisters.

Taking a deep breath, she sat up, looking at the four of them directly and murmurs steadily, "I'm ready."

"I'll got get some drinks," says Sebastian seriously.

He knew they were going to need them.

* * *

It wasn't long before they were all seated around the princess' bed.

"I'm correct in assuming this is something difficult to talk about." Sebastian said tentatively.

"I think it may be even harder for you to listen to especially - if that monster is concerned." Ariel said grimly.

None of them had to ask who she meant. They were waiting with nervous anticipation but ready to stand by her as friends.

"We'll do our best." Flounder said calmly.

"That's right, we're all here for you." Ollie translated Gabriella's signs.

This was it, no going back now.

Ariel took a shuddering breath and took a fetal position, shivering. "I-it happened when I was kidnapped. I was dropped into section of the pit that was filled with seawater but whenever I tried to swim for the surface or a way out - I kept bumping into this invisible wall! And he said that the spell could only be broken unless he wanted me with him."

"That's awful!"

She'd hoped he'd only wanted to scare her into submission but he didn't. Ariel continued with the rest of her tale up until that one dreadful moment. For a moment, she seemed entirely unaware of their presence… "Suddenly He just pulled me out and took me to his throne room saying I was so beautiful, just like my voice…And he-he- began to kiss me and th- then- touch me-" then she let out a despondent sob, "I begged him not to! But he only licked my tears away saying that I'll soon be enjoying myself."

From the horrified look on their faces, they guessed the answer correctly.

"Ariel, you don't have to say any more." A shocked Flounder consoled his friend while Gabriella put a hand on her shoulder comfortingly.

"He's a monster!" she signed, an uncharacteristic scowl on her face.

Their friends shared the same indignant emotions.

"Why that - that coward!"

"Of course he uses those who can't possibly fight back!"

Ariel then broke down in tears full of grief and disgust, "I-I just- I couldn't stop him! It was horrible! He didn't even carry out the worst of what he wanted to do, but I still feel so awful, unclean! So dirty, no matter how many times I try to clean myself up!"

"The only filthy one is dat loathsome creature!" Sebastian exclaimed then he said firmly, "Now you lisssun and you lissun good: it's not your fault, you're not responsible for that monster's foul actions."

"And I'm so frightened: what if he comes back or catches us off guard? Or worse? That's what has me so afraid of half the time." Ariel continued. Even so she feels like he took something from her.

Now they were all seated together with Ariel's father and sisters in what used to be a room for music when Athena had been alive.

Their reactions had been natural: horror-filled, shocked, pained, angry, guilty and anguished.

A heavyhearted Triton swam to his youngest child and held her tightly, hoping to somewhat ease her grief. "My little Ariel, I'm so sorry."

That actually took Ariel by surprise, why should her father be apologizing? If anyone should be feeling bad it was her; she felt that since she didn't try and make an effort to stop what had happened, she was to blame.

"But why? It's not your fault."

Triton looked at her. True, he was furious that this monstrosity had so much as even dared to try and defile his daughter - and was thankfully unsuccessful - but he also felt at fault as much as she did.

"Because I feel that. . . I failed to protect you, I failed as a father."

Ariel's sisters looked at their baby sibling sadly. Aquata was shaking her head feeling terrible. Attina and Andrina had gone white with the truth, their eyes were downcast. Arista, Alana and Adella were shivering slightly, feeling close to tears.

How could they not have figured it out? They knew something had been wrong, that their sister had been suffering silently, but why didn't they see it?

Sebastian then said, "Your majesties, none of you ought to give Aku that sort of power that doesn't belong to him."

Dudley the turtle then mumbled something incoherent that only Triton could understand.

"You're right." The sea king nodded then he says to Ariel, "We're all going to get through this, Ariel. I just want you to know that you're not alone - we're all here for you - as your friends and family, no matter what. Remember no matter what sort of trouble you're in, you can always come home."

Ariel calmed a little, feeling moved. "I-I'd like that Daddy."

They hugged. It would be a long process to recover from this terrible blow but they were going to get through it together.

 _ **To be continued…**_


	9. growing conflict

The Deliverer of Darkness once considered himself incapable and superior to such sentimental notions. He didn't care for fleeting, mortal emotions. They meant nothing to him... Or so he'd firmly believed.

Then one day, he involved that naïve mermaid in one of his nefarious schemes. He watched her for a time, making certain she was unable to return to the ocean nor to her imperious father while she still had legs. Simply, observing her from afar whilst allowing his subordinates and bounty hunters to keep her inland.

She was curious, tenderhearted, and passionate. It wasn't until months later that he'd finally noticed that her voice was so…tantalizingly mellifluous. Her singing soothed him and brought him an inexplicable form of solace.

And for the very first time in eons… he felt a deep yearning. He longed for Triton's youngest daughter, wanting nothing more than to snatch her up into his grasp and keep her close. Keep her away from that undeserving world of mortal filth, to make her his and his alone.

How his anger threatened to violently rear up whenever that impertinent fool was anywhere near her. Just the thought of the Samurai with her made him seethe.

It was infuriating to even acknowledge it: he missed her.

He'd long since ordered a painting to be done of her and brought to him. Nowadays, in his moments of solitude he'd taken to watching the sea from a distance – mainly the Danish coastline. In some trifling hopes of catching a glimpse of her or at least hoping to hear her song once more.

And so, there was only other thing he could do about it…

* * *

Nearly two years had gone by since her adventure on the surface, Ariel was back exploring and retrieving human things.

She still had nightmares and the occasional flashbacks except this time, her family and friends were there to support her. Except she longs to see Jack and possibly check up on her other friends she'd met on the surface.

"Listen to me, Ariel, for my sake as well as your own. It's time you kept your mind on your music."

Ariel looks up thoughtfully. "Sooner or later, I've got to check up on Jack or anyone else we've met up there. And I'd rather do this now while I gathered some courage to do so."

Flounder and Sebastian exchanged worried glances.

"There was a storm the other night, maybe it washed up all sorts of new things nearby! We could all do with a good healthy swim, come on!"

She swims toward the surface, one that was close to the city. Flounder darts after her. "But aren't afraid of – y'know?"

For a moment, Ariel faltered then she took a deep breath to calm down. "Half of me says go. The other half wants to see more!"

Without having much of a choice, Flounder and Sebastian followed after her. Upwards, Scuttle was there to greet them and agreed to keep a look out for anything remotely suspicious or dangerous.

After a couple of hours of searching along the cleaner sections, fish, crab and seagull were just about ready to call it a day.

"He- Jack's not here I can feel it." Ariel whispered, almost to herself.

Flounder shrugged, "Good, then we can go home."

"Not just yet, let's go somewhere else."

Before they could answer they then almost breached a mile in the air when the sound of multiples sirens going off. It was all loud enough to cause them to cover their ears.

"What is that?" Flounder hollered.

They had to shout to be heard over the commotion.

"I dunno – but I'm pretty sure I'll have hearing problems after this!" Scuttle replied.

The reason for such a commotion was promptly revealed once a singular message in various languages blared out and they all had one thing in common: it was a command directed towards the populace to stand by and prepare for the arrival of someone the group isn't too keen on seeing again.

Ariel just barely recovered from the cacophony so she didn't hear the entire thing. Nor did she see the infamous structure appear in the middle of the dark metropolis.

"Didn't you hear what it said?! He's here!" Sebastian turned to her in great alarm.

"He's here…?" Ariel mumbled in confusion before it sank in. "He's here! He's here!" she whimpered, ducking down until the water reached her cheekbones.

Scuttle tried to calm them down. "Shh! Shhh! Nobody panic, we don't know whether he's actually gonna to show up right in the middle of this place or not-"

The large advertisement tablets on the buildings' walls and roofs suddenly became fuzzy and full of static before the dreadfully recognizable deep droning was heard. All four friends huddled together, their eyes darting left and right, expecting an ambush. Yet nothing else happened except the viewing screens showed footage from the interior of the dark fortress.

"Guess he's just gonna make an announcement." Flounder comments unsurely.

Chills went up and down their spines when a dreadfully familiar voice spoke out from the screens. Flounder was right, the villain spoke of how many tried to take up the perilous bounty of defeating Samurai Jack only to fail – many have either given up or perished. However, there was an additional bounty that yielded a greater reward.

"Boy, do I feel sorry for whoever's the next target." Scuttle comments.

Except the next words made the friends blanch.

 **"FIND THIS MERMAID."**

And to their horror, a wanted poster of Ariel appeared on camera. It just got worse.

 **"Turn over every stone, shell, comb every coral or reef, and bring her to me – alive and unharmed. All will recognize her by the sound of her euphonious voice, listen closely…"**

For a moment, almost nothing moved, the entire metropolis falling seemingly silent even the hovercrafts have stopped in place to listen. Then another familiar sound filled the air waves.

" _Ah-ah-ahhh-ahhh-ah. Ah-ah-ahhh…_ "

Crab, fish and seagull almost fell over in shock. That was a recording of Ariel's voice!

The singing was just so hauntingly beautiful…

" _Ahh-ahh-Ahhhhh… Ahhhhhh-ahh… Ahhhhh- -AHHhhhh!_ "

"But how did that creep get his claws that?" Flounder wondered aloud.

Ariel abruptly gasped. "Because I gave it to him!"

"What?" The other three looked to her.

"That week before I knew he was Ikra, his minions or spies must've somehow recorded me singing …"

 **"You have your orders. Now, GO!"** With that the Dark demon's decree had finished, the viewing screens and billboards became as they were.

The city locals gossiped and murmured amongst themselves about this unusual new target. Several denizens and other bounty hunters in the area had pulled out devices when the recording of Ariel's voice had played.

Who was this mermaid? Why was Aku determined to have her captured and brought to him?

Only a number of individuals knew the answers to these questions, and four of them were already unsettled enough as it was.

"It's time we get back down to the water before something else happens." Sebastian suggested after a nervous pause.

"Good call," Flounder remarked. "Can I count on you to let them our other friends know were okay?" Ariel said to Scuttle.

"You can count on it." The seagull nods before taking off.

But before any of them could dive down, they noticed Flounder's terrified expression. He looked like he wanted to say something but didn't seem to want to do so, he made a motion of silence and then pointed behind them.

None of them understood why until they heard deep, raspy voices speaking in harsh whispers. Ariel and Sebastian knew all too well the meaning of the sounds.

Upon the docks were several of Aku's demonic minions, no doubt they'd emerged not long after the Castle appeared into view.

The poor little mermaid had gone white as death with terror. Flounder trembled. Sebastian looked like he was close to hyperventilating, yet he tried his best to keep Ariel calm. "J-just dive down slowly…"

"Maybe they won't see us…"

Outside, she looked grim albeit pale, but inside she was already panicking.

Were they still behind them? What if they brought nets? Worse, what if they catch us all?!

The three lowered themselves into the water, but no sooner were they less than four feet away when a shoal of fish shot past them.

"They see us!"

Surely they must've caught a glimpse of red dart beneath the surface.

Ariel snatched up Flounder and Sebastian, her heart hammering. As they swam, they heard the awful creatures behind them.

Fear weighed heavily in her heart. She tried every other trick they knew to escape them. Swim in circles, they hid in kelp. She knew they'd be waiting with nets meant to trap her. Ariel shook her head determinedly. No. They're not taking her to their Master! They'll never take her back!

She looked up ahead, a ship graveyard where one of the merfolk's natural predators would be hunting.

"They're getting closer!" Flounder wailed.

"And this is our only chance at losing them." Ariel said, gritting her teeth in tenacity.

Bracing herself, she swam right through a large hole in one of the ships, eyes darting left and right. If her plan works, she would be leading those demonic creatures towards their demise.

Suddenly a shadow passed over them. Perfect timing!

With a mighty thrust, a shark burst through the torn sail towards them, jaws gaping wide.

Ariel, Flounder and Sebastian sped off towards the other direction just as their pursuers nearly upon them. Those things were single-mindedly intent on catching Ariel that they were caught by surprise when the shark chased after them.

With a loud WHAM, the shark's jaws clamped shut. The fleeing trio could feel the water ripple behind them.

The group of friend took advantage of the ensuing confusion to swim as far away as they could. Once they reached Ariel's grotto they ducked inside to catch their breath.

"Made it." Ariel lay back on the ground with a sigh of relief.

"We're safe!" Flounder rested on a basket.

Sebastian then got up with a scowl, "And we are NOT doing that again!"

Ariel just panted waiting for her racing heart to resume its usual pace. "Least not for a while. I can't keep doing this, I can't just stay in the sea letting them suffer under Aku's reign. And I shouldn't have to be afraid forever." She sat up, "For a start, I need to learn to fight back."

She just needed to talk to her father, if she was going to learn to fight she knew the Olympian mer-clan wasn't up for such a challenge. But she knew perhaps the ones in White cap bay will be looking for more volunteers. That doesn't mean she'll be participating in their barbarous hunts.

That was how Ariel slowly began regaining her self-confidence against adversity and what was come in the near future.

 ** _To be continued..._**


	10. Giving Freedom

**AN: Go easy on me, this one is done through Ariel's POV that's why it's fast-paced.**

Can one tell you what it was like to gaze upon the awful fate of kind people that were either surely destroyed or imprisoned by the ultimate evil? Months had gone by, but the gnawing guilt ate Ariel long after her frenzied flight to the present.

It was on a fine spring day, the small caravan consisting of both Samurai, ex-mermaid, a crab and seagull had fallen in with a group of traveling gypsies. They were hospitable enough, although Jack quickly took notice that most appeared to be preparing for an upcoming battle, but they did not say with whom or what just yet.

Ariel then spotted one child sitting by herself on one of the wagons. "Why aren't you out singing and playing with the other children?"

One of the gypsy men replied, "Shura has not uttered a word since Aku's soldiers took her mother away the night of the raid."

Ariel immediately pitied the child. "Oh that's terrible. You know… my friend's father was imprisoned unjustly too."

She looked to Jack, who approached, feeling sympathy for a child that had a lost a parent to tyranny. He sighed and said softly, "I was only able to see my mother and father once, and though our time together was brief, I could still feel the strong love they held for me. They were both wonderful people… They did not deserve what Aku did to them."

Ariel looked equally somber. "I haven't seen my family for a while either, and sometimes it makes me so sad that I don't feel like talking to anyone. So I remember the lullaby my mother used to sing to me and my sisters."

It was familiar melody she remembered Queen Athena when we were younger before her untimely death. The song had the little gypsy girl finally look up, mystified at the newcomers.

"I'd wager you have a fond memory of your mother too." Jack smiled encouragingly.

Shura nodded, "I remember my mother…used to sing and tell me stories when I was smaller. I remember her green eyes and dark hair…"

The other gypsies were delighted.

"Why, Shura hasn't spoken in months!"

"I believe she only needed a friend." Ariel said gently.

One of the elder gypsies took Jack's hands. "You are not just a friend," the old woman declared, "You're someone extraordinary. A prince, or a King maybe…"

"I was once… but I'm afraid that was long ago." Jack sighed.

The woman now moved to Ariel reading her hand, "And you, child. You're someone just as exceptional…"

Soon after the gypsies explained why many of them were preparing weapons and traps. It was because they intended to rescue their missing kinfolk from a slave camp not too far from where they were.

Naturally, Sebastian didn't want Ariel nor he to get involved but Jack and Ariel agreed to help the gypsies the following day. Soon the rescue group scattered amongst the sparse trees before crawling up a cliff overlooking where they were headed.

The slave camp was built in a ravine. And it was a dismal sight. The tents were barely large enough for one adult. The prisoners were huddled outside miserably, warily eyeing the guards.

Jack and several of the gypsy men scowled darkly. Ariel looked down, then felt as though someone has dropped stones into her stomach.

One of the guards whipped a face very familiar to Ariel and Sebastian. There Isaac, the farmer and several gypsies were pulling up a monolithic figure with Aku's visage. To the far left, Deborah and two other women were carrying clearly heavy bags of precious stones. And to the right, diligently moving rocks and bricks to the carts with other children was their little daughter.

"Deborah…Isaac…Rebecca…" Ariel gasped, her eyes wide.

"You know them?"

The mermaid didn't answer at first. She only lowered herself then turned her back while sitting on the ground, by all extents looking as though she'd seen a ghost. Taken aback, she nodded then took breaths to calm herself.

"They're… they were the family of humans I'd stayed with when I first came out of the ocean as human. When the village was attacked, I was afraid they were dead."

"Then we too shall set them free."

* * *

"Hurry those nets won't hold them for long."

Hearts racing furiously as both escapees and rescuers fled into the nearby forest. While the gypsies happily reunited with their rescued in, the farmer and his family looked around, uncertain what to do now. Jack placed a hand on Ariel's shoulder, silently urging her to speak with them. The moment she approached, their faces lit up.

"We thought you were dead!" Rebecca exclaimed in surprise, hugging her.

"But Aku… I thought he'd killed you all." Ariel had said in concern.

"He didn't." Isaac replied grimly. "The day he attacked, his soldiers and robots had taken everyone prisoner distributing us to from one prison camp to another for months."

"I'm so sorry! The Deliverer of Darkness only attacked your village because he wanted revenge for my family's defiance of him. I know if I hadn't been there, your village would still be in one piece and you wouldn't have had to suffer through all this!"

For a long moment the farmer Isaac, his wife Devorah and their child looked at her curiously, as though puzzled by what she said. Then the wife gently took the ex-mermaid's hand into her own.

"Now, now don't think that. He probably would've found us either way."

On the day they first ran into her, she certainly did not look evil, even knowing fully well that Evil had many faces. Devorah then explained how nearly three weeks after her arrival, she'd accidentally uncovered Ariel's secret. All the mermaids of their imagination… their top half were much more fish-like in appearance – scales and gills. And in the stories they heard they feared humans, which the crab and seagull confirmed. It was impossible that she could be an instrument of Evil. No disguise could be that complete. What's more she couldn't be from White cap Bay, the descriptions didn't match at all.

Isaac then reassured Ariel further, that someone else from the village had betrayed to Aku.

"It was also suspicious, because that _monstrosity_ didn't often make personal attacks as he did to our farming community on that day. Usually he sends his subordinates to do his dirty work." Isaac speculated.

"Oh Ariel, you must've been so frightened!" Rebecca, the little girl cried.

"I was, but now I'm glad to have helped you escape."

"But where will you go?" Sebastian questioned.

"We know of a hidden sanctuary for refugees in an island chain just 207 miles south west of what was once Costa Rica. The Five deaths Archipelago. The name itself and the rumors are enough to keep the bounty hunters away." Devorah answered. "And you know what? I think we'll have a lot of help to make that trip. It certainly seems the gyspsy caravan are considering it."

After days of travelling, the farmer and his family was ready to depart with the gypsies but not before bidding both Jack and Ariel a fond farewell.

Isaac gives Ariel parting words of advice, "...I know there's a lot of terrible things in this world. But if you find somebody you can trust...then you should probably hold on to them." He shot warm glance at Jack.

Then that was when the group left setting sail for their new refuge. Ariel looked back at Jack and smiled.

Just look at the two them. A group of rebel misfits.

She's an ex-mermaid fascinated by the surface world. He's a wandering warrior with a near impossible task. Both fish out of water. And that's one of the few things they have in common up here.

Isaac was right, she did find someone up here she can trust.


	11. Friendship

**AN: This is one's much shorter but sue me. I could always go back and edit it later.**

Urchin was glad to have Ariel, Flounder and Sebastian as true blue friends. Then that small group grew including Simon the sea monster and the Evil Manta's son, Little E as he likes to be called nowadays.

Simon in spite of his giant size and feared species, had wanted friends more than anything else in the whole world. After meeting Ariel and helping save the day when he visited Atlantica, he now had more true friends he had ever dreamed.

Little E hadn't entirely understood the value of friendship, until he found an outlet for his creativity in school thanks to Ariel, then he was introduced to others he could speak and befriend on an individual level.

The unusual trio been away from Atlantica for almost an entire year, on a road trip both for a just boy's vacation and to create more liaisons for a small business they hoped to set up one day in the near future. They were just returning when they'd run into a pack of underwater beetle drones.

Fortunately for the three friends, they were in a rocky canyon when it happened. Using each other's skills, they started a rock slide that took out the majority of the horde, while the rest were demolished by the trio.

"Trouble that my Pop's not responsible for? He's probably losing his touch." Little E remarked.

"Ya know? I never heard of him using these crazy things." Simon comments, holding up one broken piece and looking it over in confusion.

"Wait a minute, I've only seen these things briefly on the surface before," Urchin suddenly piped up. "And they work for a creature WAY worse than the Evil Manta!"

"But they were headed for Atlantica!" Little E noticed, his eyes yellow widening.

There was only one being they knew of that fit the description.

He and the other two exchanged horrified looks.

"Then they're in danger – we gotta save them!" cried Urchin.

In the distance, they saw a flash of gold. Triton must've used the trident. But once they got to Atlantica… what they saw felt like something out of some half-crazed nightmare. Ariel caught in some transparent skull prison in the claws of both the sea and the surface world's worst enemy: Aku.

The sea king demanded the release of his daughter without success, willing to do anything for his daughter, he leaves the trident in front of the infamous Deliverer of Darkness. However, when asked about his part of the deal, the demon shows his true intentions, exclaiming that he "changed his mind" and that Ariel would remain his prisoner for as long as he desired.

In the ensuing panic of the denizens, Gabriella the deaf-mute mermaid and Ollie, quickly fill the trio in on what happens they pointed to the captured human warriors who were freed by a desperate Aquata.

There, Ariel's other sister and the friends devised a plan. They had to get the trident AND Ariel back. The human arrivals were surprised to see them but the group motioned for silence and that they had a plan.

"Now what? We can't get that close without that thing seeing us." Arista worried.

Urchin pulled some strands of kelp and seaweed. "Hang on, I'm getting a brainstorm over here."

He, Arista, and Little E pulled and tied them together into a sling just long enough for two individuals. The plan was for Urchin and Little E to be flung at the skull with Simon's aid, and send it to the ground to free Ariel.

The sea monster caught on to what they were thinking. "All aboard!"

Both Simon and Arista nodded once. They knew what to do.

Next, Urchin and Little E got on the extended seaweed, which Simon then swung like a sling which propelled both boys towards the skull containing Ariel. And with a strength like Simon's, it was enough to shove it towards one direction away from Aku.

"Got it!" Little E cheered the moment the skull hit the seafloor, letting the two humans to free Ariel with their swords.

Simon tackled and grappled with the fiend, allowing Arista enough time to snatch the trident. He was flung away into a pile of rocks. The sea monster was alive save for possibly a couple of bumps and a broken arm. "Ow, that's gonna leave a mark."

Urchin and Little E swam to aid Sebastian and Ariel's sisters.

At a crucial point, Jack and Triton attacked Aku at the same time and banished him from Atlantica.

* * *

Now years later… This time Ariel was in a different sort of trouble. She and her beloved hero of the surface world were desperate need of help.

And they more than determined to free them both from the Demonic tyrant that held them prisoner.

The samurai warrior had helped Ariel, countless from both the surface world and from under the sea, now it was their turn to aid him.


End file.
